If there were no limits placed upon what you were capable of, how would your life be different? What would you be doing? Where would you live? Most folks would admit that at least a few things would be different. It’s one of the great tragedies of humankind that we learn to place limits upon ourselves at a very young age. Well-meaning adults would tell us things like “be careful or you’ll hurt yourself” or “get down from there!” in order to keep us safe. But those warnings also had the unforeseen consequence of making us doubt ourselves; we learned to accept that there were limits. Rather than being empowered, we were stifled. We learned to believe that we’re capable of only so much, and nothing more. “Don’t climb to high or you’ll get hurt” we remind ourselves. Consequently, we learn to discount as impossible anything that stretches our abilities or resources. If it hasn’t been done, then it can’t be done, right? Wrong! Big thinking, coupled with ambition and belief in our abilities is the antidote for the unsatisfied, uninspired soul. With that in mind, here’s my top 5 reasons to dream big.

Big dreams give us passion – There is nothing else that can have a more significant impact on our long term fervor for life than having a big dream. One that we know we can accomplish with enough effort and a willingness to push through adversity. That passion comes from waking up every morning knowing that we have the opportunity to work towards something exciting. Subsequently, the process of getting there is exciting. And, the process is life.

Working towards big dreams forces us to grow – If we truly believe that our dreams are achievable, we recognize that personal growth is a necessary part of the process. There are always things that need to be learned, areas that we need to improve in and changes that need to be made in order to reach our goals. Thus, our most audacious dreams can actually make us better; they can provide the fuel for us to become the individuals we want to be.

Big dreams give us purpose – Purpose is what provides passion! Big dreams give us something to work toward over the long haul. But purpose provides more than that. Viktor Frankl argued that having a life purpose provides us with a willingness and ability to press forward when times are tough. In that way, when challenges present themselves as they inevitably will, we can justify the need to press through them. Our big dreams can be the “why” to our very lives.

Big dreams teach us how to prioritize – Any major undertaking can’t be completed in one step. In order to achieve a big goal we must be willing and able to break up the endeavor into a series of smaller steps. So, we break it into manageable pieces and prioritize one over another like a marathoner segments a race. Just make it to the next telephone pole, then the next one and the next… Big dreams make us better planners.

You will inspire others – By working towards a big, audacious goal there will be people who are uplifted by your efforts, particularly those closest to you. Yes, they may be naysayers in the beginning; like our parents when we were kids they want to protect us from failure. But, as we press forward and gain momentum, they will begin to recognize that they too are capable of more. You become an inspiration.

Your big dreams are achievable. So, the processes or technology to achieve your biggest dreams doesn’t exist yet? Well, they didn’t exist for Orville and Wilbur Wright either. They didn’t exist for Henry Ford, Nelson Mandela or any other pioneer in any field or any country in the world. They don’t exist for Richard Branson or Elon Musk today. All these men and women are just as fallible as you and I; they live and die just as you and I. They were equipped with big dreams and a belief in themselves. They rejected the way of thinking that puts a lid on what they could achieve. They rejected limits…and thank goodness they did. Our lives are better today because of the men and women who made the impossible possible. Advances in medicine, instantaneous communication across thousands of miles, and even the rapidly progressing technology enabling space travel and exploration are all possible because of visionary individuals who realized that in reality, there are no limits. So, what’s your dream?